How would your truckers perform in an international truck driving event?

Thousands of truck drivers from around the world participate in what is said to be the world’s largest truck driving and training event – the Scania Driver Competitions.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Scania CV AB

Backing skills are put to the test as well.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Scania CV AB

There are challenges that test a driver’s skill at vehicle safety inspections.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Scania CV AB

This year’s event featured a number of surprises to see how drivers handle them and keep their calm in difficult and stressful situations.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Scania CV AB

Competitors need to manage a lot more than just driving a truck from point A to point B.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Scania CV AB

Late last month, more than 85,000 truck drivers from around the world participated in the sixth Scania Driver Competitions – an international event that is billed as the world’s largest truck driving and training event.

Held in Sodertslje, Sweden - a city that is the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, the event began as a response to a 2003 European Commission directive on driver training which aimed to minimize the environmental impact of truck driving by increasing road-safety awareness and improving fuel consumption. The European Commission has endorsed the event ever since.

Scania is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications and of industrial and marine engines.

Driver impact

Erik Ljungberg, senior vice president sales corporate relations at Scania, says the company “firmly believes that skilled drivers are the single-most important asset for securing road safety, minimizing the environmental impacts of road transport and contributing to an efficient transport industry.”

“We believe the competition has an impact,” Mikael Person, general manager for Scania Driver Competitions, adds.

His belief is backed up by the results of driver surveys conducted following the 2012 competitions. Participating drivers felt taking part in the competition had improved their skills.

In addition to the challenges of driving, professional drivers encounter numerous incidental challenges every day. Competitors need to manage a lot more than just driving a truck from point A to point B.

This year’s event featured a number of surprises to keep the drivers on their toes and to show how they handle surprises and keep their calm in difficult and stressful situations.